Dr. Samia Akhter-Khan is exploring how some of the most pressing transformations of our time—climate change, population aging, and shifting patterns of social connection—intersect in ways that are only beginning to be understood. With the launch of her new research group, the Climate, Aging and Relationships (CARE) Lab, and the recent publication of a comprehensive review article in Nature Health, Akhter-Khan is helping to define a new interdisciplinary research agenda at the crossroads of environmental change, aging societies, and human relationships.

Published this year in Nature Health, together with psychologist Julianne Holt-Lunstad of Brigham Young University in Utah and Shuyan Liu of Charité-Universitätsmedizin’s Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, the article lays the conceptual groundwork for understanding how climate change shapes experiences of loneliness and social connection. As societies confront increasingly frequent climate-related disruptions while also adapting to rapidly aging populations, Akhter-Khan and her colleagues argue that research must examine how these forces interact.

The comprehensive review shows that there are two sides to the coin: climate change can be a risk factor for isolation and loneliness while at the same time creating a unique opportunity for people, particularly older adults, to engage in climate resilience efforts (e.g., through volunteering, climate engagement, or nature-based activities). Further investigating these two strands of vulnerability and resilience can ultimately shed light on co-benefits for humans and the planet, the team proposes: “We are only beginning to understand how a changing climate is affecting our social relationships, there is so much left to explore!” In an edited volume, Akhter-Khan is bringing together authors from six continents to provide global perspectives on the issue of social relationships in later life in the context of climate change. The book is expected to be published by Policy Press in 2027 as part of the Aging in a Global Context series.

After completing her PhD at King’s College London, where her dissertation was recognized with the American Psychological Association Dissertation Award in Psychology and Aging, Akhter-Khan looked to Berlin for the next stage of her academic career. The move also marked a return to a city she already knew well: she previously studied psychology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin between 2014 and 2021. “Berlin means home to me,” Akhter-Khan shared, “It’s spontaneous, international, relatively affordable, and has a lot to offer in terms of arts, cultural events, and green spaces, which are especially enjoyable in Summer. And of course, my wonderful friends who mostly stayed in Berlin throughout the past decade.”

Upon returning to Berlin, Akhter-Khan founded the CARE Lab at Brandenburg Medical School, while also working as a guest researcher at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin in the research group Environment and Mental Health. “At the CARE Lab, we take an interdisciplinary approach to understand the new intersection of research fields: social connection and loneliness in the context of climate change and population aging,” she remarked. The lab aims to bring together perspectives from psychology, public health, environmental studies, and social sciences to investigate how climate-related changes affect the social lives and wellbeing of individuals and communities.

To further develop research at this emerging intersection, Akhter-Khan received funding from the Berlin University Alliance to lead an X-Student Research Group titled Social connection in times of climate change. Through this seminar, students from different universities and disciplines across Berlin collaborated on research projects that explore how communities respond to environmental change. “Students developed their own research ideas, pitched their proposals, and decided to implement one of the projects in the summer semester” Akhter-Khan elaborated.

The selected project is an intergenerational climate resilience lab that brings together migrants and older residents in Berlin through a “world café” discussion format. Participants will share experiences of climate change, resilience, and community belonging, while students document and translate these conversations into an exhibition presenting the results of the project.

X-Student Research Groups are part of the Student Research Opportunities Program (StuROPx), an initiative of the Berlin University Alliance that supports seminars led by early-career researchers and connects teaching with hands-on research practice. The format allows students to gain practical research experience while contributing to emerging fields of study.

Beyond its research institutions, Berlin itself plays an important role in Akhter-Khan’s daily life. Her favorite place in the city is Tempelhofer Feld, the former airport that has become one of Europe’s largest urban green spaces. “I’m lucky enough to call this my ‘back yard’ and spend a lot of time there,” she remarked, “The views are amazing and there is always something interesting going on.” The space is not only a place for reflection and recreation, but also somewhere she regularly meets friends and takes long walks.